Re: [GZG] Space, Excel, and the reoccuring project

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http://mail.csua.berkeley.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/gzg-lAs Roger says,
doing 3 space translations of coordinates isn't that hard.

Myself, I'd pick a centre point (probably whatever my dataset was using)
and
call coordinates with respect to that point Universal Coordinates. Then
I'd
have Player X Coordinates by UC shifted via a particular transform
matrix.
Player Y would have a different transform matrix, etc.

So the GM would secretly know the transform matrix for each player. The
players would not (at least until they had enough data and means to
collude
to figure out relative positioning, which inevitably occurs).

To allocate players evenly in 3 space is a challenge if the dataset had
no
particular enforcement of standardized density (such as using real
starmaps). If you can enforce standardized density for fairness in
regions,
by generating your map region by region and incorporating generation
rules
that enforce fair distribution (note that this term is subject to some
specific definition), then you can use those regions to allocate
starting
player positions.

But even then, you need to consider if you want players on map edges, if
you
have enough players and can't allocate them all at an edge, who gets
stuck
in the middle? Do you want a square universe? A round one? A spiral?
Etc?
Universe shape will determine how you should allocate regions. In a
square
(cube in 3 space), probably sub-cubes. In a circle (flat cylinder), you
can
do pie-slice regions. In a full sphere, you are looking at 5 sided
chunks
with 4 sides that are along radii from the center and the 5th being on
the
surface of the sphere (a  3D pie slice, if you will).

Automated allocation is a bit complicated, but manual allocation can be
as
well.

You can form some easier to allocate (and print) maps by having a 2.5D
universe (all planets are laid out on an XY grid but then have a Z
coordinate up or down from the grid... it gives you 3D, but you prohibit
multiple planets at the same XY with different Z axis values... this
means
you can still map it in 3D and use some 2D concept to layout the
regions).
If you constrain values of Z, this can work out fairly well and is 'faux
3D'
in my view.

Tom B

-- 
The price of a fine dog is a broken heart at the end.
-- Rudyard Kipling

Solitudinem fecerunt, pacem appelunt
-- Publius Cornelius Tacitus (from the book Agricola, attributed to a
speech
from Calgacus)